Running Away
by ImMyOwnDefender
Summary: Shelke learned something that both she and Lilith have in common,they both spent their entire life running away,and finally they confronted their past demons,and now it was time they confronted their own feelings,but before doing that,they wanted last run


_**Running Away**_

_Don't lie and...say that it's okay,_

_ It's alright if there's nothing more to say._

From the very beginning of their strange friendship, Shelke Rui, no longer Shelke the Transparent, refused to leave Lilith's side; it was also obvious enough, that Shelke strongly despised "Project G." She grew close to Vincent Valentine, and to a certain extent the rest of his friends, (even Yuffie, but only slightly) but the one person she trusted and stayed close to the most was Lilith Celesta (that being her real last name). She spent the most time with Lilith, and would often listen to her playing the piano; she would play slowly and gently, in a steady but smooth, sad and flowing rhythm.

_So I'm running away...I'm leaving this place._

_ Yeah, I'm running away,_

Her fingers would move slowly on the porcelain keys, seeing as how she hadn't played in so long. It all seemed like she was playing for the first time, and as Shelke listened, the melody began returning to her. It almost made her happy to hear Lilith play like this, like it was beside her all her life; Shelke moved closer to the girl slowly, Lilith's back was still turned to her, as she became absorbed in her playing.

_I'm running away..._

Shelke sat down on the stool beside Lilith and watched her graceful fingers clumsily move carefully and skillfully along the keys. To anyone else it would seem sloppy, but to Shelke it was pure art; not normally one to enjoy flaws herself, Shelke knew that this sort of work took a lot of skill, and Lilith's own struggle to play it was more than perfect.

_Don't tell me...,_

_ I'm the one to blame..._

_ It's too late for you to make me stay._

_ No, I won't stay. _

Whatshe did next was unexpected, silently she moved her hands to the keys, and attempted to join in with Lilith. They harmonized together so perfectly; Shelke turned to Lilith, and saw the other girl smiling for what seemed like the first time in 5 years.

"Press that one on the right next, and then the one next to that one," Lilith said to her inaudibly, in a gentle, but quiet and hushed voice. She did as Lilith said, and soon they began to create a beautiful, but slow and sad sweet melody. Shelke wondered if this song had any words to go with it, and decided to ask Lilith. Slowly glancing down at the way the hands moved, Shelke asked her question.

_So I'm running away,...I'm leaving this place_

"Lilith?"

She got a hum in response.

"Does this song have any words to it?"

Lilith's hands came to a sudden stop, and was only answered with another question, from the dark haired girl, "Do you want it to have words?" Shelke pondered this, and stared at the keys again; how the dark ones mixed in with the pale white ones, black and white, words or no words...good or evil, Shelke had never once thought that there was a difference between the two, but now she was certain that there definitely was.

Looking at the white keys and then the black keys, she noted how perfectly the two seemed to blend without any flaw or mistake. They looked beautiful. Just like...

Shelke felt her throat tighten, as it began to get dry. She was aware that Lilith was still watching her, waiting for some kind of answer, to say something...anything...

_Yeah, I'm running away..,_

But she couldn't, not without sounding vulnerable, or defenseless.

The young citrus haired 10 year old did not want to think about the past, or Deep Ground, or the Tsviets, she didn't want to, because they would only remind her of him.

So slowly turning her head to Lilith, she cleared her throat, and asked meekly and mutely, "Could you please continue playing what you were playing?" Lilith did so, without asking much questions.

Another reason why Shelke was close to Lilith; she never asked or demanded for any explanations.

_I'm running away...,_

As she continued to play, Shelke soon following behind her, the younger girl realized how this song was so similar to a lovers' song. That's what it was a love song with no words; but it didn't need any, it was fine the way it was.

Shelke was no fool. She knew how just how much Lilith loved 'Project G' or as she preferred to call it by his given name Genesis. Genesis Rhapsodos. Ex-First Class SOLDIER, the one who started all of this. The one who was responsible for the establishment and creation of Deep Ground, and all of the other Tsviets and inhabitants that resided within its impenetrable walls. Older brother to Weiss, and...Nero. The object of Shelke's affection.

_And faster than you can follow me from this lonely place,_

_ And farther than you can find me_

_ I'm leaving..._

And Shelke knew exactly how Lilith felt, and understood her perfectly; Lilith loved him so much, and had no idea where he was now, and as for Nero, Shelke knew exactly where he had gone.

He left. He returned to the Planet. Along with his brother. He followed after him. He chose death instead of living and being with her. He chose Weiss, his older brother, over her, even when they both knew how they felt about each other. And his choice hurt her the most.

Now he was gone, leaving her behind.

"Shelke..."

Lilith just said her name, getting her attention, "Don't cry over him," she spoke as she kept playing, her voice sounded firm, but held promise and her eyes held silent sort of encouragement in them. Determination, is what it was; the very same thing that helped her survive Deep Ground for 5 years; something that Shelke secretly admired about her.

"Do you love him," Shelke asked carefully, and slowly, and continued, "Do you love him enough to know for certain that he will return for you?" The question seemed to almost sound like an insult.

Lilith, however, remained quiet by Shelke's question, still playing large instrument. For awhile Shelke was convinced that Lilith would not answer her, so decided that this was the end of their little conversation. Slowly rising from the piano stool, Shelke began to retreat from the room, but stopped in the doorway, when she heard Lilith answer calmly but firmly, with what seemed to be a renewed strength in her voice.

"I love him. Sometimes that's all that matters, it never mattered to me, if he loved me or not."

Shelke could not understand, what was the point in loving someone, if you didn't care if they loved you or not?

"Why?"

Shelke's question went unanswered, Lilith only smiled a secretive little smile, and resumed her playing.

..._Yeah, I'm leaving today..._

_ And I...,_

The next day came as a shock to the young ex-Tsviet. Lilith was leaving, and Shelke knew why. Because of him. All of because of him.

_I'll never let you find me,_

_ I'm leaving you behind with the past,_

_ No, I won't look back._

Shelke stormed out of the Seventh Heaven, and saw Lilith at the bottom of the steps, sauntering away slowly. "Wait," Shelke raised her voice, in volume, making Lilith stop and look back at her, "Why," Shelke demanded narrowing her blues eyes icily at the raven haired female, who only smiled back, "Why, what?"

_And I..._

Shelke glowered at Lilith, pursing her lips into an angry, thin line, "Why are you leaving? Why are you doing this for him," Shelke demanded an answer, and Lilith was going to ignore her this time.

"You already know why. You're only repeating the same one you asked yesterday," Lilith stated smartly. Shelke lowered her head, just this once she wished she had her weapons with her, so then at least she could beat some sense into this stubborn girl. Although she doubted she would be able to take her on, but regardless of that fact, Shelke had to stop her from leaving, from making a mistake. Couldn't she see, Genesis Rhapsodos did not love her; he was vain, arrogant, and selfish, he cared for no one but himself. Lilith should not waste her love on someone like him, he was not worthy.

"Please...," Shelke muttered lowly; she had never been one to beg, "Don't leave. Don't leave like the rest of them. If you do, then I'll be left alone with no one again."

Lilith stepped closer to Shelke and gently placed her hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, comfortingly.

_I wanna hear your reasons,_

_ I wanna hear you tell me why I should stay._

"Shelke."

The young girl looked up at the mention of her name being spoken, and saw the answer on the other girl's face, she was leaving to search for him, her mind was made up.

_And try...,_

Shelke was going to lose the first person to ever befriend her, the only other person that cared about her, besides her sister, Shalua.

"Goodbye, Shelke."

And that was that.

_Try to understand me,_

_ Try to understand what I say, when I say I can't stay,_

_ I...,_

_ I'm moving on from this place._

Shelke sat on the steps and watched until Lilith was out of sight. That was that. She was gone. Leaving her alone, like everyone else in her life, and it was all because of him. He was doing it again. Taking away everything from her, Shalua, Nero, and now Lilith.

But the only difference being was that, Lilith loved him; just as Shelke loved Nero. And now Lilith was going to search for him, and Shelke was sitting here doing nothing; she wondered if it was time to follow her example. After all, Lilith left of her own free will, and Shelke had done nothing with her newfound freedom.

_I'm leaving and I won't quit running away,_

_ I'm running away._

It finally dawned on Shelke, that Lilith was not just out there because she wanted to look for him. She wanted to leave, because she knew she could, without being stopped. There was no one to stop her from leaving

Lilith wanted to see and know if she could leave and she did. For as long as Shelke had known Lilith, the raven haired girl had never once run away from anything, not even danger, or when facing Nero. She hadn't even cowered before Weiss, or Nero. And now Lilith wanted to know if she could run away, from everything. Away from her life, her friends, her love...no, Shelke smiled inwardly to herself, Lilith couldn't run away from that.

No one could run away from their own love

Not even someone like Shelke.

_I'm leaving this place...,_

_ Yeah, I'm running away...,_

Shelke wondered if Lilith would ever realize that. And hopefully soon. Running away never solved anything, and that's exactly what Lilith was doing.

She was running away...from everything, from him, from all of this, and from herself.

_I'm running away..._

Because she loved him. And it was time for Shelke to run away, too. And the next day she would. She would run away to the one she loved.

Lilith and her would both run away for the ones they loved, and to wake up from this...and start living.


End file.
